Join Whatcom Museum in celebrating Earth Day on April 17 as a part of their collaborative workshop, “Animals Across the Earth.” Craft animals from paper and display them on the paper mache globe that will be set up for viewing in the museum lobby. This community art project is open to all ages and blends the different departments of the museum, including the FIG, which is generally geared towards children.
“Doing stuff like having kids’ art in the lobby helps emphasize that you can take your little ones to check out the art galleries, while reminding community members who come to revel in the art that kids are having fun learning about and making art,” says Drew Whatley, the museum’s education manager.
All of the project materials are recycled as this is one of the Earth Day themes the museum hopes to highlight.
“I’ve been saving green paper scraps for the paper mache, and we’re going to try to use as many recycled components as we can. I know everyone loves googly eyes, but those microplastics stick around a long time, so they’re out for our animals,” says Whatley.
Along with encouraging creativity and teamwork, Animals Across the Earth also emphasizes the importance of biodiversity.
“We really want to cover the globe with a diverse menagerie that shows both what we currently have, but also what we’re in danger of losing if we don’t take care of our planet.”
250 Flora St., Bellingham, 360.778.8930, whatcommuseum.org
